Greco (Book 1.5) (The Omega Group)

by Andrea Domanski

  “Yes, sir.” John had his hands shoved in his pockets and was rocking back and forth from his left foot to his right.

  “Put it all in the back seat and wait here for ten minutes before you leave.” So far, the driver had done all of the talking, although Mirissa could see he had a passenger with him.

  “Uh, what about the rest of the money you promised?”

  Mirissa watched as the driver took something from the passenger and handed it to John. Failed to mention the rest of the money, did you John? After shoving the final payment into his pocket, he opened the back door and tossed both suitcases on the seat. Without another word, the driver pulled forward and headed toward the exit.

  Mirissa brought her hearing down to the normal human level and, once the Honda was out of sight, teleported back to an impatient looking Asteria.

  “They’re in a white Honda Pilot. Two people. Should be exiting any second now.”

  Asteria turned the key in the ignition, put the transmission in drive, and waited. When the SUV pulled onto the road in front of them, Asteria eased into traffic a few cars behind. Demetri’s car, although a Jaguar, looked the same as a thousand other sedans on the road. Unless the guys they were following were professionals, they wouldn’t be spotted. Mirissa used the onboard navigation system to keep track of where they were while Asteria kept her eyes on their target.

  They’d been driving for less than a mile when the Honda pulled to a stop on Oglethorpe Avenue in front of a historic brick townhouse. Although she’d already run two red lights just to keep up with them, Asteria was more than happy to be stopped by one now. It allowed them to sit and watch as the two men exited the vehicle, grabbed the suitcases, and entered the building.

  When the light turned green, Asteria drove past the townhouse, allowing Mirissa a brief moment to scout the area, and made her first right, finding a parking spot only a few yards down. This was where things would get tricky. There were several groups of people on the sidewalks on both sides of the street taking away the option of simply breaking and entering. This was, after all, a tourist area. The obvious security system in the house, with at least one camera mounted above the door, limited them even further.

  “So, what do you think?” Asteria asked.

  “Well, I could teleport back inside the room where we were held, I guess.”

  Asteria shook her head. “No way. You’re not going in there alone. Besides, we don’t even know for sure if that room is in this house.”

  Mirissa smiled. “Maybe we can find out.” She grabbed Asteria’s hand and pulled her across the street, hopefully out of view of the camera. There was an old ten-speed bike chained to a tree and Mirissa knelt down beside it. Pretending to fiddle with a lock, she once again expanded her auditory capabilities. She’d never tried to listen through walls before but it couldn’t hurt to try.

  After a few moments of effort, with only muffled voices at best, it became clear that the exterior walls of this building were too heavy for Mirissa to penetrate. She then focused on the windows. Pay dirt! Through a large second floor window, Mirissa could clearly hear two men talking.

  “I can hear them. There are two men, both talking. I can’t make out what they’re saying, but they sound excited about something. Let’s go around to the back of the house and see what else I can pick up.”

  There was a narrow alleyway that ran the length of the block behind the townhouses. Each house had a cement driveway leading from the alley to a double-car garage door. Again, Mirissa focused on the windows—listening through each one until she finally gave up. “I can’t hear anything but the same two guys. Gah! I need more windows.” That’s when it hit her.

  The room where we were held had no windows.

  “It’s got to be in the garage. That’s the only place with no windows.” Mirissa focused on the metal overhead door, straining to hear. “I can’t tell if anyone’s there. I can hear something but it’s too faint to make out.” She took a deep breath and tried to increase her ability. She could feel her heart beat in her ears. Just a little more. “I’ve almost got it.”

  The pressure in her eardrums was becoming unbearable. She knew she couldn’t sustain this for long, but she needed to know if Greco was in there. She’d have one hell of an ear ache for a while, but he was worth it. And then she heard his name. “I’ve got him! They’re in there.” Reining in her power, Mirissa took a step toward the house.

  “That’s not going to work.” Asteria held on to Mirissa’s arm and pointed to the back of the house. “You see those cameras? Every inch of this building is covered by their security system. I’m not saying we couldn’t get in, but they’d see us coming.”

  Mirissa finished Asteria’s thought. “And they might hurt Greco and his mom.” She knew there was only one way she’d be getting into that building. “I’ve got to teleport.”

  “Yep. And you’re taking me with you.”

  “What? I can’t do that. Don’t you remember?” A few weeks prior, Mirissa had attempted just that. At Greco’s insistence, she’d tried several times to teleport both of them across the training room. She held his hand, focused, and inevitably found herself alone on the other side of the room. She then tried to expand her ability, like she did with her senses, hoping to encompass Greco in whatever field she created when teleporting. Not only had she failed, but the attempt also left her feeling woozy and disoriented. They didn’t try again. “I’m not able to do it.”

  Asteria simply smiled. “And this morning you weren’t able to teleport further than a mile. Your powers are growing and you know it. If you connect with your ring like Greco’s mom told you, maybe it’ll work.”

  “And maybe it won’t.” Mirissa wasn’t worried about herself—she could handle a little wooziness. What she couldn’t handle was the thought of hurting Asteria in the process. “Even if I can do it, there are so many things that could go wrong. What if the extra strain makes us materialize inside a wall or something?”

  “You’ve been watching too many sci-fi movies. I trust you. Plus, it’s not like we have a whole lot of options, here.”

  Mirissa knew Asteria was right, so she closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and grabbed her best friend’s hand. “Here goes nothing.”

  Chapter 12

  “Mom? Are you still there?” Greco tried to tilt his head enough to be able to see behind him but it was no use. Even the effort made him dizzy. The sedation was definitely taking its toll, periodically forcing him into unconsciousness. Each time he awoke, his brain took longer to register where he was and what was happening. He had no idea how much time had passed since Mirissa left.

  “I’m here.” His mother sounded woozy, slurring her words ever so slightly. Then again, he probably sounded the same way. “Some men came in here a little while ago. As soon as they saw that your friend was gone they stormed out. I don’t know what they’re going to do, but it can’t be good.”

  “We’re gonna get out of here, Mom. I promise. Mirissa will figure out a way. She’s… amazing. ” He knew he was babbling but he couldn’t help himself. His normal self-control was almost nonexistent, and his thoughts wandered to the one place he usually tried to keep them away from: Mirissa.

  “I’m glad you finally found someone to care about. I know it hasn’t been easy for you, and that’s my fault, but I’m glad you let someone into your life. You deserve to be happy.”

  “I’m her Guardian, Mom. Nothing more.” Even with his drug-addled brain, Greco was still able to lie to her—and himself.

  His mother let out a small laugh and said, “Go ahead and keep telling yourself that.”

  Even if he did want more, it could never happen. His past mistakes ensured that. There would be no forgiveness from Mirissa, and he deserved none.

  Greco tried to force his thoughts to the situation at hand. They were in trouble and he knew it. If this Alayna woman had spent the last few days taking blood from his mother, they might already be too late to save her. Once again, he
struggled against his restraints, knowing it would do no good, but needing to at least try.

  “Greco? I’m so sorry for what I did to you. I know an apology can’t even begin to make up for the life I gave you, but I need you to know how sorry I am. I’d hoped to have a lifetime to show you that I’ve changed. To give you everything that I should have given from the day you were born. To earn back some small place in your life. But now…”

  Their conversation was interrupted by a loud crash from beyond his feet, like a load of dishes being dropped. Greco whipped his head around in time to see Asteria grab the wall and Mirissa collapse to the floor.

  “How did you… You teleported with her?” The fear he felt caused a lump in Greco’s throat. “Get me off this table. Now!”

  Asteria grabbed the metal restraint around his wrist and pulled with all her might, but it didn’t budge. “Hang on. I’ll be right back.”

  Greco watched as Asteria opened the door and peeked her head out before disappearing through it. Less than two minutes later she returned with a hammer and chisel in hand. He raised his eyebrows in question.

  “You’re in a garage. It was a safe bet.” Asteria placed the tip of the chisel in the seam of the cuff and with one blow from the hammer, the restraint popped open. Three more blows and Greco was free, tearing the IV out of his arm.

  “Get my mother out of here. I’ll get Mirissa.” Greco knelt down beside Mirissa’s prone form, trying to rid himself of the wooziness in his brain. With his right hand he felt for a pulse. With his left he gently swept the hair from her face. “You’re OK, Mirissa. You’re gonna be OK.” With one hand around her shoulders and the other beneath her knees, Greco stood on wobbly legs, ready to carry her as far away from there as he could.

  Muffled shouts from somewhere outside the room signified that they’d missed their window of opportunity to escape unnoticed. Laying Mirissa on the table he’d previously occupied, Greco turned to Asteria. “What’s the layout out there?”

  “Nothing to the right. Hallway opens on the left to a two-car garage with a standard overhead door. No vehicles. Staircase heading up at the end of the hall. Two men on premises that we know of.” Asteria spoke with the efficiency of a soldier, all the while checking Greco’s mother for injuries.

  “They know Mirissa escaped. They will have called for reinforcements. Our best chance is to get out before they arrive. Mom, can you walk?”

  “Can I walk? I’m an Amazon, son. I can fight. This stuff will be clear of my system as soon as the adrenalin hits. You take care of Mirissa. Your other friend and I will take care of the boys outside.” She looked at Asteria and smiled. “I’m Gayle Costa. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I’m Asteria. Likewise. Now let’s do this.”

  Greco lifted Mirissa into his arms. He gave the women a quick nod and followed as they ran into the hallway. Before they reached the garage, two men rounded the corner and stopped short. Their hesitation cost them dearly.

  Asteria reached them first, nailing the one on her side with a left hook to the jaw. She grabbed the back of his neck with both hands and yanked him forward and down into her oncoming knee strike. Gayle came at her opponent with a roundhouse kick to his temple. She lost her balance for a moment, giving him time to regroup and push her away, but Asteria was there to assist. A flying jump kick to his jaw, and he joined his friend in dream world.

  Asteria looked at Gayle and smirked. “I know. You’re drugged. You really should ‘just say no’ next time.”

  “Very funny, but thanks for the help.”

  “If you ladies are done, maybe we can get out of here.” Greco used his elbow to push the button for the garage door opener while his mom and Asteria took positions on either side of it. Half expecting a rush of armed men to be waiting for them outside, Greco was relieved to see nothing but an empty driveway.

  Asteria smiled. “We’re parked around the corner. Follow me.”

  When they got to the car, Greco chose to sit in the back seat with Mirissa while the others got in the front. He positioned her on her side with her head on his lap as they drove. She looked so fragile lying there—a look she didn’t often have. “Are you feeling OK, Mom?”

  “I’m fine, sweetheart. Just a little groggy. Nothing a good cup of coffee won’t cure. How’s Mirissa doing?”

  Greco absentmindedly stroked Mirissa’s hair as he spoke. “She seems OK but I don’t know.” He noticed Asteria giving him a strange look in the rearview mirror. As it dawned on him what he was doing, he jerked his hand away, fumbling to find a less intimate place to put it. What am I, twelve? The giggle coming from the front seat caused him to blush for the first time that he could remember. Yep, I’m twelve.

  Mirissa shifted in his lap, making a soft sound of protest. Greco looked down to see her eyes flutter, then come fully open. Greco couldn’t help but smile. “You’re awake. How do you feel?”

  She struggled to a seated position, wincing with every movement. “Like I just rode a corkscrew roller coaster fifty times straight.” She looked at everyone in the car and continued, “I guess it worked. Sorry I missed it.”

  “I knew you could do it. Never had any doubt,” Asteria said.

  “And I owe you my gratitude. I’m Gayle, by the way. Greco’s mom.”

  Mirissa looked at Greco, clearly uncomfortable. She obviously didn’t know how to react to meeting his mother after what he’d told her. He gave her a small smile and nod of his head, hoping to let her know it was OK.

  “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  After a few moments of awkward silence, Mirissa asked, “So, is it over?”

  “Not quite,” Greco said. “We still have to take care of the woman behind all of this.”

  Chapter 13

  “They were watching my house?” Greco’s father asked. After their family’s tearful reunion in the hotel room, they’d all settled in to discuss what came next.

  “We think so,” Greco said. “That’s the only way they could have known we were here. It also explains why the guy that broke into our room thought it would be empty. If they saw us in our car they would’ve only seen Mirissa and me because Asteria always lies down in the back seat. When they captured us they assumed they had everyone.”

  Mirissa, almost fully recovered after her double teleportation, watched Gayle, feeling somewhat apprehensive. Greco had only given her a brief insight into his past with his mother, but it was enough to make her dislike—and distrust—the woman. She knew, however, that those feelings needed to be buried. They still had a job to do. “So, what do we know about this Alayna person? Why did she take you?”

  Julian, the Omega Group’s resident computer genius, had already pulled the property records of the house where they were held. Her name was Dr. Alayna Sessions and she was head of internal medicine at Candler Hospital.

  “Like I said before, I only met her that one time at my AA meeting,” Gayle said.

  “You only remember meeting her once.” Greco stared at the floor as he spoke. “I’m sorry, Mom, but you could’ve spent time with her when you were drunk and have no recollection of it.”

  Mirissa watched as everyone in the room found something interesting to look at on a wall, too uncomfortable to make eye contact. Everyone except Gayle.

  “You’re right, son.” Gayle looked at each person in turn, settling her gaze on Greco. “And you shouldn’t be sorry for stating the truth.”

  That comment seemed to raise everyone’s comfort level again and, Mirissa had to admit, she was beginning to have some respect for the woman. “I think it’s time we go meet Dr. Sessions.”

  Chapter 14

  They walked into Candler Hospital as a group. Although Greco would’ve preferred to handle this without his parents present, there was still the possibility of the men that worked for Dr. Sessions coming after them. He couldn’t leave them alone.

  Julian had already uploaded the hospital’s layout to Asteria’s phone, so they had no problem finding the right of
fice. The secretary that was seated at the only desk in the small reception area looked up from her papers at their arrival. “Can I help you?”

  “No.” Without even pausing, and despite the secretary’s stern objections, Greco and the others continued through to the office in back. When they walked through the door, Dr. Alayna Sessions stood with wide eyes. Then, as the reality of her situation seemed to set in, she slouched back into her chair.

  “Dr. Sessions, I’m sorry. They just barged in. Should I call security?” The woman now standing in the doorway sounded flustered at this unscheduled interruption.

  “No, Cynthia. It’s fine. Please close the door on your way out.” Once she was gone, the doctor looked at Greco’s mom. “I want you to know that it was never my intention to hurt you, or anyone else. I just needed to learn how you healed yourself so I could replicate it. I’m sorry.”

  “And the armed men that almost killed us?” Greco let her see every bit of his anger in his icy stare.

  “Those were Mr. Hamilton’s men. He promised me, when I hired him to find Gayle, that there’d be no violence. I should’ve known he wouldn’t keep to his word, but I was desperate.”

  Greco’s mom stepped forward. “I don’t understand. Why were you looking for me? How do you know me?”

  “You don’t remember? You were brought to the clinic last year with a broken arm. You were, uh, inebriated and you passed out. When I examined your arm I saw that it was already through most of the healing process. I knew it was impossible but there you were, right in front of me, doing the impossible.”

  “So you decided to cash in.” Greco wasn’t surprised. For thousands of years greed had caused mankind to commit unthinkable atrocities. If anyone ever figured out a way to remove the gene that caused it, the world would be a much better place.

  “No!” Alayna’s eyes flared. “Well, yes, at first. I admit that I wanted to study you, Gayle. I wanted to be the one to bring this amazing ability to the world. But when you left, and I didn’t even know your last name, that was the end of it. Then, a few months later, something happened and I needed to find you. That’s when I hired Mr. Hamilton.”